Alternatives for ground water cleanup / Committee on Ground Water Cleanup Alternatives, Water Science and Technology Board, Board on Radioactive Waste Management, Commission on Geosciences, Environment, and Resources, [National Research Council].

Format:

Book

Contributor:

National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on Ground Water Cleanup Alternatives.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Groundwater--Purification.

Groundwater.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (333 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. : National Academy Press, 1994.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

There may be nearly 300,000 waste sites in the United States where ground water and soil are contaminated. Yet recent studies question whether existing technologies can restore contaminated ground water to drinking water standards, which is the goal for most sites and the result expected by the public. How can the nation balance public health, technological realities, and cost when addressing ground water cleanup? This new volume offers specific conclusions, outlines research needs, and recommends policies that are technologically sound while still protecting health and the environment. Authored by the top experts from industry and academia, this volume Examines how the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the subsurface environment, as well as the properties of contaminants, complicate the cleanup task. Reviews the limitations of widely used conventional pump-and-treat cleanup systems, including detailed case studies. Evaluates a range of innovative cleanup technologies and the barriers to their full implementation. Presents specific recommendations for policies and practices in evaluating contamination sites, in choosing remediation technologies, and in setting appropriate cleanup goals.

Contents:

Alternatives for Ground Water Cleanup

Copyright

Preface

Contents

Executive Summary

COMPLEXITY OF THE CONTAMINATED SUBSURFACE

PERFORMANCE OF CONVENTIONAL PUMP-AND-TREAT SYSTEMS

Capabilities of Pump-and-Treat Systems

Cleanup Times for Pump-and-Treat Systems

CAPABILITIES OF ENHANCED PUMP-AND-TREAT AND ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES

Enhanced Pump-and-Treat Systems

Alternative Technologies

Barriers to Implementing Enhancements and Alternatives

CHARACTERIZING SITES FOR GROUND WATER CLEANUP

SETTING GOALS FOR GROUND WATER CLEANUP

CONCLUSIONS AND POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

Complexity of the Subsurface

Performance of Conventional Pump-and-Treat Systems

Capabilities of Innovative Technologies

Characterizing Sites

Setting Cleanup Goals

1 The Ground Water Cleanup Controversy

HISTORY OF GROUND WATER CLEANUP

Legislation

Early Research

Sources of Contamination

MAGNITUDE OF THE PROBLEM

CAPABILITIES OF CLEANUP TECHNOLOGIES

THE POTENTIAL CONFLICT BETWEEN TECHNOLOGY AND POLICY

NOTES

REFERENCES

2 Complexity of the Contaminated Subsurface

THE SUBSURFACE ENVIRONMENT

Physical Characteristics

Hydraulic Properties of Aquifers

Ground Water Flow

The Effect of Pumping on Flow

Geochemical Characteristics

Biological Characteristics

CONTAMINANTS IN GROUND WATER

Inorganic Compounds

Organic Compounds

Mechanics of Migration

Aqueous-Phase Transport

Vapor-Phase Transport

NAPL Transport

Mechanisms for Retention

Sorption and Ion Exchange

NAPL Entrapment

Degradation Reactions

Microbial Transformations

Abiotic Transformations

SPATIAL VARIABILITY

Physical Heterogeneity

Chemical Heterogeneity

Source Variability

RESEARCH NEEDS FOR IMPROVING UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONTAMINATED SUBSURFACE

Subsurface Characteristics.

Contaminant Distribution and Transport

Reaction Pathways and Rates

CONCLUSIONS

3 Performance of Conventional Pump-and-Treat Systems

HOW PUMP-AND-TREAT SYSTEMS WORK

PREVIOUS STUDIES OF PUMP-AND-TREAT SYSTEMS

FEASIBILITY OF CLEANUP WITH PUMP-AND-TREAT SYSTEMS

Influence of Contaminant Chemistry and Site Geology

Influence of the Quantity and Duration of Contamination

CATEGORIZING SITES FOR CLEANUP

Cleanup of Sites in Category 1

Cleanup of Sites in Category 2

Cleanup of Sites in Category 3

Cleanup of Sites in Category 4

Appropriate Uses for Pump-and-Treat Systems

CLEANUP TIMES FOR PUMP-AND-TREAT SYSTEMS

Processes That Affect Cleanup Time

Methods for Estimating Cleanup Times

Example 1: The Effect of Heterogeneities on Cleanup Time

Example 2: The Effect of Residual Napls on Cleanup Time

Example 3: The Effect of Dnapl Pools on Cleanup Time

Determining Technical Impracticability Based on Cleanup Time

IMPROVING SYSTEM PERFORMANCE THROUGH PROCESS MONITORING

What To Monitor

Modifying Existing Pump-and-Treat Systems

RESEARCH NEEDS FOR IMPROVING THE PERFORMANCE OF PUMP-AND TREAT SYSTEMS

4 Capabilities of Enhanced Pump-and-Treat and Alternative Technologies

ENHANCED PUMP-AND TREAT SYSTEMS

Demonstrated Technologies

Soil Vapor Extraction

Description

Application

Limitations

Advantages

In Situ Bioremediation-Hydrocarbons

Bioventing

Technologies in Development

Pulsed and Variable Pumping

In Situ Bioremediation-Chlorinated Solvents

In Situ Bioremediation-Metals.

Description

Air Sparging

Other Configurations

Soil Flushing

In Situ Chemical Treatment

In Situ Thermal Technologies

Steam-Enhanced Extraction

Radio Frequency Heating

ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES

Intrinsic Bioremediation

Containment Technologies

In Situ Reactive Barriers

IMPORTANCE OF COMBINING PROCESSES

RELATIVE EFFECTIVENESS OF ENHANCEMENTS AND ALTERNATIVES

BARRIERS TO IMPLEMENTATION OF INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES

Technology Development Phase

Technical Barriers

Institutional Barriers

Economic Barriers

Technology Selection Phase

Technology Implementation/Procurement Phase

Adequacy of Action to Address Barriers

Overcoming Technical Barriers

Overcoming Institutional Barriers

Overcoming Economic Barriers

RESEARCH NEEDS FOR ADVANCING THE DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE CLEANUP TECHNOLOGIES

Engineered And Intrinsic In Situ Bioremediation

Soil Vapor Extraction and Air Sparging

Treatment Methods For Inorganic Compounds

EDUCATIONAL NEEDS

NOTE

5 Characterizing Sites For Ground Water Cleanup

GOAL OF CHARACTERIZATION

PLUME VERSUS SOURCE.

MANAGEMENT OPTIONS

DATA REQUIREMENTS

Horizontal And Vertical Extent Of Contamination

Locations of Contaminant Source Areas

Hydrogeologic Setting

Restoration Potential

STAGES OF SITE CHARACTERIZATION AND MANAGEMENT

RESEARCH NEEDS

6 Setting Goals For Ground Water Cleanup

CURRENT CLEANUP GOALS

Cleanup Goals Under CERCLA

Cleanup Goals under RCRA

Exceptions to Goals Based on Drinking Water Standards

ALTERNATIVE CLEANUP GOALS

Unrestricted Use Goals

Complete Cleanup

Cleanup to Background/Detection Limits

Cleanup to Health-Based Levels

Partially Restricted Use Goals

Technology-Based Goals

Restricted Use: Degradation with Containment

Comparing the Alternatives

HEALTH RISKS OF CONTAMINATED GROUND WATER

Evidence from Epidemiologic Studies

Limitations of Epidemiologic Studies

Results from Existing Epidemiologic Studies

Evidence from Animal Studies

Evaluating the Evidence: Risk Assessment

Uncertainty in the Evidence of Health Risks

ECOLOGICAL RISKS OF GROUND WATER CONTAMINATION

Impacts on Organisms in Ground Water

Impacts on Terrestrial Plants

Impacts on Organisms in Surface Water

Importance of Ecological Impacts

ECONOMICS OF GROUND WATER CLEANUP

National Cleanup Costs

Site-Level Cleanup Costs

Benefits of Ground Water Cleanup

THE COMPLEXITY OF SELECTING CLEANUP GOALS

7 Policy Implications of a Technical Problem

COMPONENTS OF GROUND WATER CLEANUP POLICY

KEY POLICIES ADDRESSING THE TECHNICAL UNCERTAINTY OF GROUND WATER CLEANUP

Early Action Policy

DNAPL Policy

Technical Impracticability Policy

Programs For Innovative Technology Development

IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICIES

Broad And Equivalent Application of Policies To All Sites.

Vigorous Efforts to Ensure That New Guidance is Applied at The Site Level

Continuous Program Evaluation

Routine Use of Scientific Experts

Development of A Mechanism For Long-Term Site Management

SUMMARY OF POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

Appendixes

A Summary of Pump-and-Treat Systems Reviewed in this Study

NOTES AND ABBREVIATIONS

Site References

Chemical Names

B Glossary

C Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff

Committee Members

Committee Staff

Index

Other Recent Reports Of The Water Science And Technology Board.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9786610195879

9781280195877

1280195878

9780309586245

0309586240

9780585168326

0585168326

OCLC:

60365428